Builds fj60 going to EV FJ45 (1 Viewer)

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It's up and running, but the fitting in the pump is too short to seat so it leaks under pressure. I've ordered two more 16mm x 1.5 to -6AN fittings hoping one will work. But, before I shut it down, it turned the tires easily - and that's without the fancy control.
 
Here are plates for the roll cage. Rear is quarter pie shaped because that matches the available space on the underside for it's made.

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Here is, look up at the underside of the car, the underside of the rear plate. It ties into the strut going out to the slider.

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Front accommodates the A-pillar with one side of box tube running up the A-pillar. cage will land on the A-pillar (for extra room). Now I wish I had put bedliner on the A-Pillar. I'll put several coats of POR15 on the thing when it's all welded up to keep it from reacting with the aluminum.

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There's nothing more than large washers underneath because this is where the cowl and cab overlap about 4" and the body mount sits underneath. So, the underside is already pretty stout and resting directly on the frame. the strut you see from frame to slider is going to be welded to the body mount all the way out.

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Okay, I had one of those 'I'm a massive idiot' moments.

I just realized that to swap over to hydraulic steering, I didn't have to take out the EPS system. It could have just stayed there, turned off. So I didn't have to spend weeks buying more odd parts and fiddling with getting the stock column back in. And - if I'd left the EPS in - if I wanted more steering power, I could have turned the EPS on and have two power systems. Although it would have been huge stress on the sector shaft. But, maybe it could get me around putting a hydro assist ram on in the future.
 
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Okay, I need some help here. The volvo electric steering pump has a rather conventional flared female 16mmX1.5 fitting on the high pressure side. I've bought 3 different 16mmX1.5 - AN -6 adapters, and all fail to seat before they bottom out on the middle flange. Can someone point me to a longer 16mmX1.5 - AN -6 adapter?
 
So, this is what I have to work with. Apparently it's a deep flared fitting. Is there a way to work with this?

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Had Matt not given the answer already, I would have said that looks like a o-ring fitting from a GM hydroboost.
 
That's the fitting I have that's not deep enough.
 
So, the geniuses at PSC told me to just grind the surface of the pump down a little - duh.
 
I drilled out an AN fitting and welded it to the line. 15k so far and no leaks...
 
fjdiesel said:
I drilled out an AN fitting and welded it to the line. 15k so far and no leaks...
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Another genius idea that hadn't occurred to me either. That would have been sweet. I'd have had to find a steel AN fitting, but I'll keep that in mind for next time.
 
Okay, steering is all done and kind of working. There's a huge dead space in the wheel going left to right with the hydraulics. But, I haven't really cycled it enough to say for sure. I put the EPS system back in. Another day in my life I won't get back, but it's the right things to do.

Went down to DMV to get my VIN generated and the vehicle verified - and they don't generate VINs, CHP does. So everything I found online was wrong. So, now I have appt with CHP for Wednesday next week. Also found out that CHP doesn't do the safety inspection, you get that a licensed brake and safety station. Okay. So, After I get the VIN, I get it safety inspected, and then I take it back to DMV to get verified. Sigh

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workingdog said:
Okay, steering is all done and kind of working. There's a huge dead space in the wheel going left to right with the hydraulics. But, I haven't really cycled it enough to say for sure. I put the EPS system back in. Another day in my life I won't get back, but it's the right things to do.

Went down to DMV to get my VIN generated and the vehicle verified - and they don't generate VINs, CHP does. So everything I found online was wrong. So, now I have appt with CHP for Wednesday next week. Also found out that CHP doesn't do the safety inspection, you get that a licensed brake and safety station. Okay. So, After I get the VIN, I get it safety inspected, and then I take it back to DMV to get verified. Sigh

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The VIN, inspection, verification rigamarole reminds me of my time in the Middle East. Website and phone call info was meaningless... you had to go in and ask and get redirected and schedule appointments, etc. The thing is it kept improving the whole time I lived there. By the time I left you could renew on your phone in an app. Seems like a lot of places here are regressing at these things... ugh.

In any case... I'm loving following along on this build.
 
about to attempt to build the cage. The tube bender is operational - finally. And had to get the top on to figure out how to fit it in. First time we've had the top on in ... a year - since it all first arrived. And boy, does it not fit. The sides to the top are about an inch too wide for the notches in the actual top. I had to put a strap on it to bring it in enough to sit in place. Next, the notches in the top are not deep enough (and one side the side was too fat and I had to grind down some glass). You can see the holes at the windshield are not lining up and you can see the 1/2" gap between the top and the sides and how the notches are binding. So, I'll lift it back up tomorrow and relieve the notches quite a bit until it sits all the way down. I haven't even looked at the hole alignment yet.

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No word from Aqualu about how to get the top to fit yet.

However, I was able to build the main rear hoop. This is just mostly in. At some point it's going to come out and get finish welded. I did it in two pieces and slugged them together at the top/middle. Kept me from having to get the second bend in the exactly right location. I have slug in the hoop for should belt and tabs on either side of the seat and the plate for the rest of the seat belt.

Next is to work forward and the tricky part of coming down to the A-Pillar

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Here's the tricky part. First attempt I threw out because I cut it to length no realizing I need enough tail on each end. Second attempt was trash because curves were too far apart. third attempt I had to adjust the curves quite a few times, but it's right. Monday, I splice it to the leg that goes back to the main hoop. the platform I copied from something I saw somewhere. It's welded to the A-pillar brace. Hoping to have a mostly completed cage by Wednesday or thursday. I'm hoping that duplicating this item takes less time than the first one did.

Seatbelts are in. Mirrors are here and ready to install.

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Okay, the bulk of the cage is built. For half the cost of getting it done (and 5 days of my life) I built my own cage. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't bad. The seat belts are in and secure. There's even a rear view mirror on the front cross bar. going to put the seat retainers back on today and make an adapter for some Heep mirrors to attach to the windshield hinge, and I'm closer to street legal.

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So, at CHP found out I was totally wrong again. When I bring the rig in to get a VIN generated, it has to be totally street legal and they will sign that off. I don't need to get a regular safety inspection (that's just for salvage titles). Once I get that done. I got to DMV and get a process number, then I got to BAR referee and get signed off for emissions, then back to DMV (without the car) to get actual registration.

Guy at CHP handed me like 30 pages of requirements to be street legal which I'm now going to digest.

It doesn't look too bad, I have most of it already. Interestingly, seatbelts are not in the list.
1. Headlamps - the LEDs I have are not DOT, so I have to swap them out, and I was going to have to deal with them anyway, their height is okay
2. I need to actually install my high beam indicator
3. I need the backup lamps to work - Did I do that? The stuff is all there to make it work.
4. I need to confirm that my e-stop e-brake qualifies. And I have to finish hooking up the cables, just a little more to do.
5. I need wipers. So, an expensive but useless addition I need to get ordered.
6. I need fenders on the rear (which means a bed as well). And hope they let the little the fronts stick out slide (that god I got the extra wide fenders). In back I finally have to figure out the battery box and the coil over towers, because they drive how the bed lays out and how the fenders work.
7. Apparently I'm exempted from bumper requirements, but I have bumpers.

And that's it, other than the stuff that's already done - turns signals, brake lights, etc.

No mention at all if the control systems or the frame or anything is DOT or not - just the headlights.

The big question is - is this a car or a truck. I wish I'd have asked the guy when I was there. I believe if I have a flatbed, it's a truck, if I have a come kind of enclosed space, it's not. But I'll have to confirm. I may have to email him. If it is a truck, then it needs reflectors, if it's a car, it does not.

So, a month or two to get it ready, the bed and rear fenders and modified battery box are the biggest issues. Still not sure how to tackle the bed. Just temp something to get past DMV, or actually do it right.
 
what about this on the back??? flatbed porn!

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